A few more ounces over the course of a couple weeks would be something to investigate. It's good to watch her though. I think we tend to jump to conclusions and start handfeeding and all that too soon which doesn't do the pig any good. You know? Just my opinion.

Smudgie lost small amounts of weight for the first 3-5 days he was with me. I was eventually able to get him to gain by whetting his appetite with small volumes of critical care, about 5mL. He loved his CC and would suck it out of the syringe but giving him less than he wanted encouraged eating pellets on his own.

Poor sweetie. I hope she just needs some TLC from the Mumsie. I know hand feeding is a last resort. I hope she porks up soon. It's so funny when they do. Smudgie had this big tummy but the rest of him was still so pokey and boney. It took a few more weeks for everything to distribute out.

Getting frantic about 0.5 ounces is so the kind of thing I would do, so I can understand where you're coming from getting worried.

I'm just theorizing, but I know for humans our bodies go into famine mode when we aren't getting enough food, and we hold onto weight. Perhaps now that food is plentiful her body is coming out of famine mode and not holding onto every bit of weight causing her to have greater output and a small dip in her weight before her weight starts to go up? I hope I'm making sense.

Good luck with her! Just being in a loving environment is so important for them.

Ditto HollyT, rshevin and Wilbursmom. 0.5 oz is about 14 grams. She's lost about 7 grams a day. I wouldn't worry about it just yet. I would expect some fluctuation as malnourished as she is. You want her to gain, but you don't want her to gain too much too fast. That's happened to some of ours, and they end up uncomfortable until everything evens and distributes out.

Mum, try to relax and think positive. I am not sure if you knew about the the breeding pair I rescued this last summer, but they were in terrable condition, matted, and covered in feces. The smell was so bad I could barely make the two hour trip bringing them home and literally felt like I was going to be sick several times thoughout the journey.

When I brought her home she weight 900 grams, barely. Her spine stuck up on her back and I could feel her small frame under all of the matted, flithy hair. She lost more weight the first week she was here and I was worring about her as you are Candy. As the next week came about, Sidney began to perk up and she was beginning to learn what hay was. Slowly, but surely she gained back the weight lost and she started to put on more and more weight throughout the weeks that followed.

I write this to let you know, it is normal, don't fret, and stay positive. With your great care she is going to be big, strong, and "plump" in no time. Today Sidney is 1180 grams and is happy and healthy. She is the little pig in my avator and if I showed you her picture the day I took her in you would have a hard time believing she is the same pig. Candy will have the same happy story!!

Wondering about carrots? I feed my two pigs - 4 small carrots in AM. They got more when they were young. They are now 4yrs old. Is this not a good thing? They get Oxbow pellets and hay/orchard grass everyday. In evening they are given either: green pepper, parsley, leaf lettuce, limited broccoli, occasional orange wedge. I thought seeded fruits like strawberries were bad. Mine also prefer veggies and don't care for fruits that much. I thought fruits had TOO much sugar - which is why I avoid them. I thought carrots were safer. Your diet area is first I read that carrots should be limited. WHY?

I wouldn't be inclined to do a bunch of tests but an exam by a vet would be a good idea for a listen with a stehoscope and a palpation. If she's calm enough, an xray without sedation would be a good idea. Palpating can often identify a difference in kidney sizes or possible tumours/masses.

If she has cancer, the stress of a new environment could trigger a decline.

I don't know if Lotensin would any adverse effects on a pig with cancer. I already know it's okay for kidney pigs.